Combination door



July 29, 1930. D. J. BENOIT COMBINATION DOOR Filed Oct. 16, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. De; 0/ JTZi/m/r ATTORNEY.

July 29, 1930. D. J. BENOlT COMBINATION DOOR Filed Oct. 16, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illl INVENTOR. Danae JZtM A TTORNE Y.

Patented July 29, 1930 PATENT OFFICE DELOR J". IBEN'OIT, F FORDSON, MICHIGAN COMBINATION noon 1 Application filed October 16, 1929. Serial No. 399,914.

This invention relates to combination doors, and the object is to provide a door which is convertible to a door having the appearance of the usual wood paneled door, a half screen 5 door, or a door having louvres in its upper portion.

A feature of the invention is in the provision of a frame member adapted to be introduced and secured between the stiles and the upper cross piece of a door,'taking the place of the usual panels thereof, and provided with movable panels in its upper portion, a pocket in the lower portion thereof to receive the said panels, and a stationary screen memher in the upper portion of the door lying between the movable panels when in closed 'po sition.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an insertible frame for use with an ordinary door by removal of the lower stile and panels and of such character that, when secured to the stiles and cross membcr,the door frame is strengthened providing a rigid combination or convertible door that may be utilized in any. of the various ways enumerate A further feature of the invention is in the provision of an insertible metal frame having side members and lower cross pieces attachable to the stiles and upper cross pieces of the door and tying the same together and either of a solid metal frame construction having grooves for the various panels whereby they are held and guided in their movement, the lower cross piece of the metal frame being slotted to permit introduction of the panels subsequent to the securing of the metal frame to the stiles and head piece of the door.

These and other various objects and novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and the preferred form of construction of a convertible door embodying my inventionis shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a general elevation of a door shown screen member to view.

in dotted lines in which my insertible combination door shown in full lines is mounted.

Flg. 2 is a sectionalview of the upper portion of the insertible portion of the door with the panels moved downwardly exposing the Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the louvre panel positioned to cover the upper section of the door.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the insertible portion of the door taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing the hollow metal frame construction.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view on line 66 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of an alternative form of construction showing the door member with the insertible metal frame and panels in place, the frame being of a solid construction.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 1.

Fig; 10 is a section taken on line 1010 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 is a perspective detail showing the means for supporting the screen member in lace. i

It is first to be observed that primarily the invention comprises the use of a metal frame member 1 shown in Fig. 1 having vertical side members and upper and lower cross members carrying movable and stationary panels and insertible in the door in place of the usual glass or Wood panels. As shown in Fig. 4, the frames may be of hollow metal form and such construction. There is also preferably provided a cross member 2 intermediate the top and bottom cross members and extending between the two opposite vertical side members of the inserted frame 1 and secured thereto or formed in continuity with the lower stationary panel sections 3 and 4 on opposite 9 sides as shown in Fig. 4. Thus, the lower or stationary panels and the cross members 2 upon the opposite sides provide a hollow recess or pocket 5 into which the movable panels 6 and7 may be retracted. These movable panels 6 and 7 have their edges riding in grooves provided therefor by securlng open channel members 8 to the inner face of the vertical frames which guide the same in their movement. As may be seen from Fig. 3 one of the side members of the insertible frame is apertured in its opposite side faces to receive a shaft 9 at the outer end of which is secured an operating handle 10. On this shaft is a pair of gears 11 and 12 having the flanger side faces 13 and 14 in each instance and the edges of the panels 6 and 7 lie between these side flanges 13 and 14 of the respective gears.

The edges of the panels are toothed at 15 to provide racks meshing with the gears and by rotation of the handle 10 the t wo panels 6 and 7 may be raised to the position shown in Fig. 4 providing a door having the usual imperforate panels or they may be retracted into the pocket 5 provided in the lower part of the door between the side plates 3 and 4.

There is a screen member 16 fixed in position in the upper section of the door extending from the upper cross member 17 of the door to between the cross members 2 thereof there being channels 18 or other meansprovided for securing the screen member in position. As this screen member 1s fixed in place, on lowering the movable panels 6 and 7 the ordinary screen door 1s provided so far as the upper section of the door is concerned.

It is oftentimes desirable to provide for ventilation and therefore these panels6 and 7 may be moved downwardly into the recess provided therein leaving the upper section of the door with a screen. 'It is also sometimes desirable to secure ventilation and prevent others from looking into a room and for this purpose I provide a third movable panel 19 which is provided with a series of louvres 20 preferably being formed of sheet metal and the louvres stamped thereinto as is the usual method in forming such a panel member. This louvre panel rides in channels provided therefor as with the gear operated panels as indicated at 21 in Fig. 5 and '22 on the opposite sides of Fig. 6.

The channel 21 is supported at the upper and lower ends and is not mounted on the side frame as is the case with the opposite channel 22. This isto enable a louvre 19 to be moved upwardly and downwardly past the shaft 9 heretofore described.

This louvre 19 is to be manually operated as by means of an eye 23 at its upper edge which permits the operator to lift the louvre to the position shown in Fig. 3. It maythere be held in place as by means of a hook 24 secured to the upper cross piece of the insertible frame. By moving the louvre to the position shown in Fig. 3 ventilation is secured without possibility of persons looking directly into a room through the screen member.

The preferred form of the structure is shown in Figs. 9 to 11 inclusive and consists of a metal frame of rectangular form having the two side members 30 and top cross member 31 and the lower cross member 32. The side pieces 30 and the cross member 31 are grooved as shown in Fig. 8 to receive the twoouter panels 33 and 34 on opposite faces of the door and grooves are also provided to receive the movable solid panels 35 and 36 and a groove 37 to receive the louvre panel 38 on one side of the stationary screen member 39 and a groove 40 in which the louvre member may be placed when it is desired to position the louvre on the opposite side of the screen In this latter form of construction the screen frame 41 is secured by means of screws to a flange 43 extending through a slot inthe frame 30 and secured therein by a screw 44 as shown in Fig. 8.

By this arrangement the screen frame 41, which is secured to the flange 43 which extends inwardly from the side frames .30 of the upper portion of the door and from the cross frame 31, may be removed by removal of the fastening screws and thus a repair or new screen may be readily secured therein. As in the previous case of the hollow frame first described it is therefore to be seen that the screen member is stationarily positioned extending across the upper portion of the door above the stationary panels 33 and 34. The louvre 38 is arranged similarly as in the construction above described and is manually movable and secured in place as in the previous instance. v

For the purpose of operating the two movable panels 35 and 36' (Fig. 10) the shaft 45 and gears 46 and 47 thereon are mounted in a recessed portion of the door frame 48 in which this metal frame'30 and cross members 31 and 32 are positioned. These gears extend through slots in the batik of the member 30 opening to the bottom of the panel grooves to engage rack teeth provided in the edges of the movable panels 35 and 36. These gears may be rotated as by a handle 49.

In this construction illustrated in Figs. 7 to 11 the lower cross member, which is of metal, 1s slotted to receive the various panels as above enumerated. These panels 33, 34, 35 and 36 may be assembled in the frame 30 subsequent to its being secured in the usual wood door frame 48 by simply inserting the same through the slots provided therefor in the bottom cross member 32. i

The louvre panel may also be introduced through this lower cross member 32 by providing a sufliciently wide slot 50 to permit the louv'res to pass thereinto. The grooves p be used as a paneled door for the louvre panel in the vertical side members and in the cross member 31 may be of less width as they are only required to be of a width to permit the edge of the metal louvre panel 38 to ride therein as will be seen from Fig. 10. After these panels have been introduced to position through the slots provided therefor in the lower cross mem-' ber 32 a plate 51 may be secured to the bottom edge of the member 32 to provide a stop for the panels and prevent their moving downwardly through the slots. This plate 51 may be secured to the cross member 32 as by means of screws not here shown.

From the foregoing description it appears evident that by myimproved construction I may change any ordinary wood door to a combination door by simply removing the panels between the stiles of the door and the lower cross member and introducing into the door frame thus provided a metal frame either of hollow form as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 or of the solid grooved form shown in Figs. 7 to 11 and thereugpn the door may y the positioning of the imperforate movable panel members to close the opening provided in the upper part of the door or to withdraw the same to between the stationary panels of the lower part of the door thus providing a screen door by reason of the stationary screen being fixedly positioned covering approximately the upper half of the door. Also, by means of the manually movable louvre panel I am able to provide ventilation without exposing the interior of the rooms to view.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1 The combination with the frame of a door, of an insertible frame secured therewithin, a pair of oppositely positioned stationary panels covering thelower portion of the insertible frame, a pair of panels movable in the insertible frame to 'position to cover the upper portion thereof or to position between the lower stationary panels, and a screen member ,fixed in position covering the upper portion of the insertible frame and intermediate the movable panels.

2. The combination with the frame of a door, of an insertible metal frame secured thereto, the vertical side and top member thereof being provided with channels, a pair of stationary panels covering the opposite sides of the lower portion of the insertible frame, a pair of sliding panels movable in the channels of the frame to position to cover the upper portion of the insertible frame or retracted to between the stationary panels, and a screen member fixed in position covering the upper portion of the insertible frame intermediate the movable panels.

' 3. The combination with a frame of a door, ofan insertible rectangular frame secured therewithin, a pair of oppositely positioned stationary panels covering the lower ortion of the insertible frame, a pair of pane s movable in the insertible frame to position to cover the upper portion thereof or to position between the lower stationary panels, a flange extending inwardly from the upper portion of the side members of the insertible frame and from the upper cross member thereof, a screen member detachably secured to the said flange, the flange and the screen member occupying a position between the movable panels when in the raised position, and means for simultaneously moving the movable panels to a position closing the upper portion of the insertible frame or to retract the same to between the stationary panels.

4. The combination with the frame of a door, of an insertible metal frame secured thereto, a pair of oppositely positioned stationary panels covering the opposite sides of the lower portion of the insertible frame, a pair of panels movably supported in the insertible frame adapted to be moved to position covering the upper portion of the in sertible frame or retracted to between the stationarypanels, a fixed screen member extending across the upper portion of the insertible frame and occupying a position intermediate the movable panels, and a third movable panel having louvres adapted to be positioned either covering the upper portion of the insertible frame or to position between the stationary panels.

5. The combination with the frame of a door, of an insertible metal frame secured thereto, a pair ofoppositely positioned stationary panels covering the lower portion of the insertible frame, a pair of panels movable in the frame to position the same in the upper portion of the frame or between the lower stationary panels, a manually operable means for moving the movable panels simultaneously, and a screen member fixed in position covering the upper ortion of the insertible frame and interme iate the path of movement of the movable panels.

6. The combination with a frame of a door, of an insertible rectangular metal frame secured thereto, the side members and upper cross member being provided with grooves and the lower cross member having slots therethrough corresponding in position to the plane of the grooves, a series of panels insertible into the frame through the said slots, the said series of panels consisting of two panels adapted for stationary position on opposite sides of the lower portion of the inserted frame, a pair of panels movable longitudinally. of the frame to cover the upper portion thereof or to position between the stationary panels, a movable panel having louvres manually movable to cover the upper portion of the frame or to position between the stationary panels, a screen member fixed in position coverin the upper portion of the inserted frame an occupying a position between the aths of movement of the movable panels and at one side of the louvred panel,

a air of gears rotatably supported at one si e of a vertical member of the metal frame extending through the slots provided therefor in the metal frame opening into grooves for the movable panels, racks provided in the m ed es of the respective movable panels to en.-

gage the respective gears, and an operating handle for rotating the gears.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specifica tion.

DELOR JLBENOIT. 

